Chambers
`Dictionary of
`Science and Technology
`
`General Editor
`
`John Lackie
`
`Chambers
`
`1
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`APPLE 1026
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`1
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`APPLE 1026
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`Cc:
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`603 cm
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`CHAMBERS
`All inlprint of Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd
`7 Hopetoun Crescent
`Edinburgh
`EH7 4AY
`
`This edition first published by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd 2007
`
`© Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd 2007
`
`lished in 1999. Previously published in 1995 as Larousse
`Previous edition pub
`and Technology. First published as Chambers’s Technical
`Dictionary of Science
`W&R Chambers Ltd (revised 1958, 1971, 1974 and 1984).
`Dictionary in 1940 by
`
`All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
`retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying
`or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
`
`A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
`
`ISBN-13: 978 0550 100719
`
`Text design by"Ken Wilson
`Typeset by Macmillan India Ltd
`Pnnted 111 Italy by LegoPrint’ S.p.A
`
`2
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`synthetic sands
`
`1182
`
`SYStem x
`
`'
`
`.
`
`s
`
`rmined amount of Pigment“? material. Can be
`giggiished from natural stones onlY bl’. the mfiewem
`expert man-0n- similarly for sryum-mi]sap?hicli have
`synthetic sands (Eng) Sands deficrent in
`33’ W
`.al to
`been blended with bentonite or other clay-llke materl
`make them suitable for anguldl-ng-THETIC RUBY
`thetic sapphire (Min
`ee svn
`.
`,
`syyi'ithetlc spinel (Min) Spinal produced’ In ,8 “2:"- “fig:
`fine colours, by the VERNEUI} PROCESS; m erm . el
`optical characters identical wrth natural magnesran spur
`,
`it is widely used)? a gemsmhlf-RESONANCE
`ton (13an ee CURRE
`.
`.
`s
`'.
`.
`synnusiay (BioSci) A group of plane With sum!“ hfe. f°Fm
`and of the same or unrelated spaces. 06¢“?an a sundar
`itat,
`woodland herbs.
`_
`_
`sylglillid (caged) Any skin affection caused by SYPllllls, Also
`”philide, sjphdoderm, syphiladerma. .
`.
`.
`syphilis (Med) A contagious venereal disease clue to infection
`with the micro-organism Spirochaetu palltda (Treponema
`pallidum); contracted in sexual intercourse, by accidental
`contact or (by the fetus) from an infected mother.
`syphlloma (Med) A syphilitic tmnour. See GUMMA.
`syphon (Genrl) See SIPHON.
`Syrian gamet (Min) A name for ALMANDINE of gemstone
`uali
`.
`syiinglttlls (Med) Inflammation of the Eustachian tube.
`syringobulbia (Med) A disease characterized by increase of
`neuroglia and the presence of cavities in the medulla
`oblongata, giving rise to such nervous phenomena as
`paralysis of the palate, pharynx and larynx. See SYRINGO-
`MYELIA.
`
`syrlngomyelia (Med) A chronic, progressive disease of
`the spinal cord in which increase of neuroglia and the
`formation of irregular cavities cause paralysis and wasting
`of muscles and loss of skin sensibility to pain and to
`temperature. See SYRINGOBULBIA.
`syringomyelocele (Med) A form of spina bifida in which
`the part protruding through the defective spinal column
`consists of the greatly distended central canal of the spinal
`cord.
`
`syrinx (BiaSci) The vocal organs in birds. situated at the
`posterior end of the trachea. Pl syringes. Adj syringeal.
`syrinx (Med) A fistula or a fistulous opening.
`systaltlc (BioSci) Alternately contracting and dilating; pul-
`satory, as the movements of the heart. Cf PERISTALTIC. N
`systalsis.
`(1) Tissues of the same histological
`system (BioSci)
`structure, eg the osseous system. (2) Tissues and organs
`uniting in the performance of the same function. eg the
`digestive system. (3) A method or scheme of classification,
`eg the Linnaean system. (4) A systematic treatise on the
`animal or plant kingdom, or any part of either. Adj
`systematic.
`system (Chem) A portion of matter, or a group or set of
`things that forms a complex or connected whole.
`(1) an
`system (ElecEng) General term used to describe:
`entire arrangement of equipment, eg the grid system; (2) a
`collection of standards or definitions, eg SI system; (3) a set
`or field of technology, eg digital systems.
`system (Genrl) Generally, anything formed of parts placed
`together or adjusted into a regular or connected whole.
`system (Geo!) (1) The chronostratigraphical equivalent of a
`PERIOD of geological
`time. (2) The name given to the
`succession of rocks which were formed during a certain
`period of geological time, eg Jurassic system. (3) The sum
`of the phases which can be formed from one or more
`components of minerals under different conditions of
`temperature, pressure and composition.
`systematic (3117861) See SYSTEMIC.
`systematlc desensitization (Psych) A therapeutic approach
`to anxiety disorders in which there is exposure to gradually
`mcreasing anxiety-provoking stimuli under relaxing and
`reassuring conditions.
`
`systematic errors (CivEng. Maths“) EH9“ which a:
`always in the same directron, 1e errors which are alw '3
`positive or always negatrve: Sometimes known as Cur-um
`lative errors. In eg calculations such errors can arise 3
`always rounding fives upwards.
`.
`Y
`systematics (BioSci) The branch of biology that deals
`with
`classification and nomenclature.
`system building (Build, Cit/ling) Methods designed to
`increase the speed of construction by preparing component
`parts of the building in a factory before assembly on site
`system crash (ICT) Occurs When the Operating System is
`unable to control the computer and human intenre
`ntion is
`needed to restart.
`'
`Systeme International d'UnItes (Genrl) See 5| UN|Ts'
`system engineering (Space) A logical process of “Vine.
`which transforms a set of REQUIREMENTS arising from a
`specific mission objective into a full description of a
`which fulfils the objective in an optimum way. It 9‘13qu
`that all aspects of a project have been considered and
`integrated into a consistent whole.
`system flowchart (ICI) See DATA FLOWCHART.
`systemic (BioSci) Something distributed throughout the
`organism, not limited to a particular place. Thus an
`systemic circulation carries blood to the body as a whole;
`systemic insecticides are distributed though all the tissua
`of a plant.
`systemic arch (BioSci) In vertebrates, the main vessel or
`vessels carrying blood from the heart to the body as a whole.
`systemic lupus erythematosus (Med) A disease of
`humans characterized by widespread focal degeneration
`of connective tissue and disseminated lesions in many
`tissues including skin, joints, kidneys, pleura, peripheral
`vessels, peripheral nervous system and transient abnonn-
`alities of the central nervous system. Numerous auto
`antibodies are present in the blood, of which the most
`constant are anti-nuclear antibodies. The lesions are
`mainly the result of the deposition of immune complexes.
`Abbrev SLE.
`
`systemic pesticides (Agri) Pesticides that are translocated
`from the point of application to other sites where the
`activity is expressed.
`systems analysis (Genrl) Complete analysis of all phases of
`activity of an organization, and development of a detailed
`procedure for all collection, manipulation and evaluation
`of data associated with the Operation of all parts of it.
`systems analysis and design (ICT) Feasibility study ofa
`potential computer involvement and the design of aPPTO‘
`priate system to do a job.
`systems analyst (ICT) Person responsible for the anal-VSis
`of a project to assess its suitability for computer aPPhca'
`tion and who may also design the necessary COHIPuter
`system.
`systems network architecture (101‘) An IBM newrl‘
`standard for DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING systems. It ProW165
`communication between terminals and a host compui'jl‘
`”Stems of crystals (Crystal) The seven large divisions Info
`Which all crystallizing substances can be placed: $3be
`tetragoml. hexagonal, trigonal, orthorhombic. momd‘mc’
`triclinic. This classification is based on the degree 0
`SYMMETRY displayed by the crystals. See panel on cRVSTAL
`LATTICE.
`,
`systems programmer (ICT) A programmer who Writes
`SYSTEMS SOFTWARE.
`systems software (ICT) The collection of prom.“
`that make the computer system usable and contrOl
`1
`performance.
`‘
`.ch
`sVite"! testing (ICT) The phase of a testing CYCle 1n whl et
`arr EVery part of a system is used to carry out the Wilde Sta
`0f Processes for which it has been designed. in order
`to
`evaluate its suitability for purpose.
`System X (ICT) Name given by British Telecom Pler
`describe its fully electronic computerized exchange 5“”!
`mg system.
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